Moments
by southernbookgirl
Summary: This is a compilation of moments between various members of Team Scorpion. However, the majority of such moments will be focused on Quintis (Toby and Happy).
1. Wrapped in Love

_Author's Note: I have been wanting to write a Scorpion fic for awhile, and while I am collaborating with another individual on several Scorpion tales, this piece below came about sitting in my kitchen at 1 a.m. Instead of doing an assignment for one of my education classes, I decided to write this. The setting is a combination of a couple different hiking trails I have been on with friends. Anyways, please read on, and leave a review or PM me with your thoughts and opinions. Have a lovely day!_

Happy had not felt this alone in who knows how long, and all she wanted to do was be back in Toby's warm and safe embrace. Following the completion of a stressful assignment in nearby Atlanta, Georgia, Toby and Happy had taken a few days off to tour the mountains and countryside in northwest Georgia and southern Tennessee. On their first day away, the couple had decided to take a hike in an area of the Chattahoochee National Forest known for its thick, mature forests and multiple rock outcroppings. While the trail itself wasn't difficult, the hike was a bit more challenging than normal due to Happy's recovery from a recent bout of bronchitis. Toby felt that she was well enough to enjoy the day out, and the hike had overall been a pleasant experience.

Yet, after eating lunch, Happy decided to take a few minutes of solitude for herself while her boyfriend napped in the sun. However, what began as a quiet stroll through the forest had now become a frantic search to find the main trail. She had been too caught up in her thoughts to pay close attention to her surroundings, and now every rock cropping she saw looked the same. She continued walking, her pace picking up as she seemingly tripped and stumbled on every possible stone and tree root.

Over two hours had passed, and Happy still had no idea where she was. The mechanic finally gave up looking for the trail and sat down on a large, moss-covered rock, as the bronchitis left her out-of-breath despite her otherwise trim and fit physique. The sun was moving westward, meaning there was only a few more hours of daylight left. Her water bottle was about empty, and her medication was still with Toby in his knapsack. The genius mechanic was ready to cry. Her ankle had begun to throb, a residual effect from when she'd twisted it on a mission a few months back, and her throat was starting to burn from her near-constant coughing. Using her knapsack as a pillow and her jacket as a warm blanket, Happy laid her head down and soon dozed off, basking in the warm rays of sunlight scattered by the trees.

Later on, Happy felt a gentle nudging and shaking; she could barely make out a soft voice urging her awake. Immediately on the defense, she reflexively extended her hand to push the individual away, only to have her hand stopped just as suddenly. The individual took her chin and shifted her view upwards. In the light of the afternoon sun stood her boyfriend. Though Happy was ready to launch herself into Toby's arms, he beat her to the punch. Gently enveloping his still-sleepy girlfriend in his arms and laying a soft kiss on her forehead, he whispered quiet words of love and relief at finding her safe and sound. All Happy could do was respond with a small nod, bury herself into his warm embrace, and thank her lucky stars for this man – her boyfriend and best friend. His arms were her favorite place on earth because there, every fear she had of loneliness and abandonment vanished. And in that moment, sitting on a moss-covered rock in the Chattahoochee forest, there was nowhere else she would rather be.


	2. Shocking Revelations (Toby or Not Toby)

_Author's Note: I couldn't decide how to publish this. This is a "moment," per se, between Toby and Happy. However, because it is also based on the season finale "Toby or Not Toby" set to air this Monday, I decided to publish it as a chapter in my story_ Moments _and as an oneshot here. Regardless of where you read it, hope y'all enjoy!_ _Finals for the semester finish for me in two weeks, so hopefully on my short break between spring and summer semesters, I can update/publish a couple more stories. Thanks for your patience, and have a good night!_

Toby took a deep breath, to steady his voice and swallow any tears, before he spoke into the phone. "Hey, Hap, how are you?" Trying to joke, he thought and briefly hoped, might lessen the impact of the situation on his girlfriend.

"Toby, Doc, we're coming for you, you know that? Just hold on, we'll be there soon," Happy said.

"Hap," Toby replied, his tone softer, more resigned, "it'll be okay. Know that I love you, and I always will. Knowing you has been the greatest experience of my life, and loving you is something I will always cherish." During this, Happy took several deep breaths, the realization of the situation hitting her hard and deep within her heart and soul. _Please, Doc_ , she thought _, please hold on – for the team, for me, for us_.

"Toby, baby," she replied, a desperate, tearful edge more evident with each word she spoke. "We're coming. Please hold on. Please, Toby, I…" And before she could utter the words she had been trying for weeks to say, an unwelcome and chilling voice broke into the conversation.

"Time's up," Collins interjected. Happy noted the smug tone of his voice, and it was all she could do not to put the car in reverse to go and get her boyfriend back. However, the team still hadn't pinpointed an exact location of Collins and his hideout, so driving aimlessly around the county with Tim and Paige would be useless.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," stated the mad genius. In the background, Happy heard what sounded like Toby struggling against some sort of gag, if the moans and groans were any indication of the pain and discomfort he was in. Happy's heart broke at the thought of what he had been and was going through at the hands of that bastard.

"Collins, listen to logic," Walter pleaded over the phone, he, Sly, and Cabe desperate to stall Collins while they continued to track the psychiatrist and his captor's whereabouts.

"No," Collins curtly replied. "You listen to the sound your friend makes when I complete this circuit." And within a second, Toby started screaming – horrible, gut-wrenching, blood-curling screams laced with pure agony from the electric shock torture Collins was administering. Happy's heart stopped; with each second, the screams grew louder, indicating the progressive increase of the shocks to Toby. The look of horror on Happy's face mirrored that of Tim and Paige's faces. Over the phone, the three men back at the garage had gasped. Happy could hear sniffling – most likely from Sly – in the background. After a few seconds, Happy snapped out of her state of shock. Her blood now cold and without a single thought to any current or tentative plan, Happy threw the SUV in reverse. Tim and Paige quickly buckled their seatbelts to prevent any injury, and off the mechanic drove, frantic to find her boyfriend and rescue him from that bastard's clutches before it was too late.

As she drove, thankful that there was little highway traffic in this rural part of the county, she prayed to whatever deities or higher powers could hear her. _Please, please, let Toby live. I cannot go on without him. I haven't been able to tell him yet…tell him how much he means to me, how much I love him. Please, if you can hear me, God, bring him back to me. As annoying as he is, he is a part of me, and I of him, and I don't know what I would do without him here with me_. And with this, the tears she'd struggled to hold back silently started to fall, smearing her makeup as the tears ran down her face and fell onto her jacket and the car's steering wheel.

Though Paige and Tim both noticed what was happening, neither one said anything; they realized that Happy driving was the only distraction she had at the moment. She needed this - to both release and focus her frustration, worry, and anger. But, just because they were silent did not mean either individual wasn't present in the situation. With his SEAL training, Tim planned out tactical strategies to rescue Toby whilst doing what it took to protect the team, whereas Paige silently prayed. All she could pray was for them to make it in time, find Collins and rescue Toby, because she could only fathom what Happy might do if she lost Toby. And honestly, the thought of Happy on a path of revenge scared her even more than the mechanical engineer's driving. Thus, Walt, Sly, and Cabe had better let them know something soon about Toby's whereabouts, or else his screams of pain from the electric shock might be the last, haunting sound they ever would hear from him.


	3. Love Knows No Difference

_I apologize for not updating regularly. I have several more finals this week; this chapter I wrote when I should have been studying for my British history final that is tomorrow morning. Again, my priorities are off, but at least I'll have a week off (such a long time…_ note the sarcasm _) until I start my summer classes._ _Also, please pardon the nature of this chapter. It is partly due to a residual mood left over from last week's season finale._ _Nevertheless, read on, and post your thoughts/opinions in the review section or PM me with your response._ _Bonne nuit à toi!_

The young woman was quiet and thoughtful, a somber mood present as she stared off into the distance. Around her, the first blossoms of spring had appeared, their delicate whites and pinks dotting the landscape. The grass where she stood was freshly cut, but on a distant hill, grains of wheat and barley moved to and fro with the gentle breeze. A house beyond the hill was inhabited by a family – one with young children, she figured, if the bright and gay laughter and screams were any indication. The sun had reached its peak and was beginning its westward descent towards the horizon. The brilliant rays of light shone on a nearby pond; the shimmer of the light on the water emanated a sense of calm and peace. To a passerby, one might believe that this young woman, petite but beautiful with porcelain skin and jet-black hair, had come here to admire the peaceful, quiet beauty of nature in its fresh and new beginnings. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice the small bouquet of flowers the young woman held in her hand. They would follow her gaze to something at her feet. There, the young woman would place the flowers, her hand resting on a smooth, solid surface of granite. Tears leaked from her eyes and fell softly to the ground, creating small circles that dotted the dust- and grass-covered stone marker. Three markers were present, a smaller one flanked by two larger ones, each etched with the name of a separate individual:

"Grace Elizabeth Song Quinn, Precious Wife and Mother, Gone but Not Forgotten, 1959-1987"

"A Beloved Angel ~ Too Beautiful for Earth, Adalyn Margaret Grace Quinn-Curtis, 2017-2018"

"A Beautiful Mind and Soul, A Cherished Love ~ Husband and Father, Tobias Michael Curtis, 1983-2018"

There, Happy knelt at the grave markers, her head bowed for a few minutes. Then, as quietly as she came, Happy stood and walked down the gravel path of the small cemetery towards her car. Three beautiful lives, each one of whom touched Happy more profoundly than she would ever know, but whose influence and presence in her life was something she would always cherish. The sweet stories, the precious memories – all she had left of three people she passionately and deeply loved above all else. As she walked away, Happy passed a small stone sign at the cemetery's entrance. It read: "Love knows no difference between Life and Death. The one who gives you a reason to live is also the one who takes your breath away."


	4. Footprints In Our Hearts

_To all the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and mother figures out there - Happy Mother's Day!_

Toby felt like he had been whacked on the side of a head with a baseball bat and then run over by a truck. ' _Guess that's what tumbling down a rocky hill will do to you_ ,' he thought with little humor. ' _But of all the times to get hurt_ …'

That particular Friday had been like no other. Toby, Cabe, and Walter had gone out to a national park in order to track a group who was illegally mining in a remote park of the park, Toby strongly voicing his opinion against the case. The individuals had caught wind of their tails, much to the chagrin of the Scorpion men, resulting in an ensuing chase and fight.

Toby had been knocked down in the fight and tumbled about sixty yards down a steep hill before landing in a creek bed. Yet another reason for him to complain about the case, he ruminated, when he could have been safe at the garage with Happy. As he laid there unable to move, he took note of his apparent injuries: a moderate concussion; broken right ankle; sprained left wrist; and too many scrapes and cuts to count. He wasn't worried though; they were all injuries that could easily be fixed. But as the genius psychiatrist laid there waiting for rescue for over five hours, he got word that his wonderful and brilliant girlfriend, Happy, had gone into labor. That was when the panic started; he needed to get out of there and fast.

At thirty-six weeks pregnant with twins (a boy and a girl), Happy had stayed behind with Sly and a very pregnant Paige (she being 34 weeks along with a little boy) at the garage – a two-hour drive away from the national park where Toby was currently laid out. An hour after she heard the news that Toby was hurt, Happy's labor had begun, and, before they knew it, it was up to Sly to take her to the hospital. Taking into account how he drove during the Las Vegas mission, with L.A. traffic thrown in, it was a miracle that Happy didn't deliver on the freeway. Sly and Paige had gotten an earful of how frustrated the mechanical engineer was by the time they arrived at St. Catherine's Medical Center.

Of all the missions, of all the places, of all the things that could happen – Toby had to go on this one, resulting in him missing the birth of his own children. Within an hour of her arrival, Toby had been told, Happy was ready to push and the births occurred in rapid succession. As Sly had a "delicate condition," Paige took it upon herself to be Happy's companion during her labor and delivery.

Seven hours later, Paige was pushing Toby's wheelchair to the nursery so he could see his children for the first time. Though he was somewhat groggy from the pain medication, Toby did not miss the strange smile Paige had as she wheeled him to the nursery. Toby reasoned she was just excited for him to finally meet his children.

Unbeknownst to Toby though, Paige had a little surprise for him upon his arrival. She motioned for him to look around the nursery, asking him if he could pick out his babies.

"Let's see…" Toby said, "Oh, there's my man!" Toby motioned to a crib in the far right corner of the room. On it said "Boy, Quinn-Curtis, Baby #1". Then, to the left of the baby boy's crib was another baby bed, this one labeled "Girl, Quinn-Curtis, Baby #2".

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Toby asked Paige, his heart already swelling with love and pride for these little ones.

"Yes, they both are," Paige replied, a soft smile on her face. "Now, Toby, I have a surprise for you. I want you to look at the bassinet past your son's, and tell me what you see."

Toby shifted his body as far as it would go – without causing himself too much pain – to see what Paige was talking about. It took a moment for him to focus on the label, but what it read was something he had not been expecting: "Girl, Quinn-Curtis…Baby #3". His jaw dropped in shock; Paige started laughing.

"Surprise!" she said, her laughter echoing off the walls of the maternity wing.

It took a few moments for Toby to gather his thoughts and form a cognizant reply. "Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed. "There's no way, no stinkin' way. I was there for every ultrasound, almost every doctor's visit – how, in this day and age, could something like this slip past our doctor?!" Toby babbled, trying to make sense of it all. "She's one of the best on the West Coast!"

"I don't know," Paige replied. "But it'll be another hour or so before the babies go and see Happy. Why don't we head down to Happy's room so you two can share a moment alone before your children come, huh?"

Toby readily agreed, anxious to see Happy after what he just learned. It had been too long since he had last seen her, and he needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay. Within a few minutes, Paige had wheeled Toby to Happy's room. The room was silent, save for the quiet breathing of Happy as she napped. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair up in a messy ponytail, her makeup slightly smeared – Toby thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"Hey, Hap, sweetheart," Toby whispered; he took one of her hands and placed a feather-light kiss on her knuckles.

At this, Happy softly stirred, low moans escaping her lips as she awoke from her dreamless sleep. Stretching her arms as she yawned, her eyes lit up and a beautiful smile graced her lips when she realized who was sitting next to her.

"Hey, babe," she said sleepily, "Long time no see. Here, come sit with me."

Carefully, to not cause any more lightheadedness, Toby got into bed with Happy with some assistance from Paige, who left shortly after. The dark-headed genius settled into the crook of her boyfriend's arm, both of them sighing in relief at the thought of being near each other once more.

"How are you feeling?" the mechanic asked, turning to caress Toby's face, her dark, deep brown eyes taking in his bandaged-wrapped head and wrist and casted ankle, looking over Toby with all of his scratches and contusions.

"I'm okay, sweetheart – just a moderate concussion and a sprained wrist. I'll have a cast on my broken ankle for the next six to ten weeks, but the doctors are sure I will regain full use of my ankle with a bit of physical therapy and strength training. They are having me stay overnight for observation; they think I should be back to my old self in a few weeks. I just have to take it easy till then."

Toby and Happy both started to chuckle as they thought of their three new additions to the family. They knew chaos was going to become the norm.

"'Taking it easy' isn't something we'll have for a long time, I'm afraid," Happy replied, sighing as she settled into Toby's embrace, burrowing herself deeper under the covers.

"I know, babe…but look what we have as a trade. Three beautiful babies – who all looked healthy to me – a supportive family, and I have the most wonderful girlfriend, while our babies have the most wonderful, caring, loving mother there is," Toby said, his eyes beginning to mist as he spoke.

"Speaking of three babies," Happy began, "Dr. Laurent was just as surprised as I was, maybe more so, when I had to start pushing again after delivering the second baby. She couldn't really understand how a third baby could've stayed hidden that long, but it happened. From the looks of it, the two girls are fraternal; we have three exquisite children, each one unique and special in their own way."

A look Toby had never seen before came over Happy; he could only describe it as how a new mother looked at her child as she fell deeply in love with her little one. Toby, so overcome in that moment with love for his woman – his girlfriend, soulmate, and mother of his children – gently took Happy's face into his hands and the two shared the sweetest of kisses, one that deepened as the moments passed. It was only at the sound of a knock on the door that the two broke apart.

"Hi guys," Paige greeted the couple. While Toby shot a small smile in Paige's direction, Happy settled herself into her boyfriend's embrace, for once not embarrassed to show her affection in front of others. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," Toby replied with a smile.

In this case, the "we" wasn't just the team; several nurses wheeled in Toby and Happy's triplets as well. Soon, the team – including Walter and Cabe, who'd been patched up by the EMTs on scene before heading to the hospital – was settled into every available chair. Happy held one little girl; Toby had the second girl; and Paige held the baby boy in her arms. Walter glanced over at his girlfriend, realizing that in a few weeks' time, he'd be holding his little baby boy in his arms.

"These babies are cute," Ralph stated matter-of-factly looking over his mom's shoulder, wrinkling his nose as the baby boy squeaked in discomfort.

"They're precious," Paige cooed, her attention focused on the baby she held close to her heart.

"They'll certainly be lookers," Cabe commented.

"Hey!" Toby chimed in, careful not to jostle his daughter too much. "They're only a few hours old; let me enjoy their innocent cuteness for a little while longer. I'm not ready to have the boys come knocking down our door just yet."

Happy rolled her eyes at his comment. However, one could not deny the beauty of the girls and the handsomeness of the boy. As Happy and Toby both had curly hair, that dominant gene had passed onto the triplets. Then, according to Happy and Paige, the little boy, minus his dark hair and blue eyes, was the spitting image of Toby as a baby. The first little girl looked more like Happy, with her jet-black hair and eyes that would hopefully turn from a dark blue to Happy's chocolate-brown eyes. The second baby girl had hair that was a deep, dark brown, with light blue-green eyes.

"Now, I wish to know something," Walter interjected. "What names have you chosen?"

Happy and Toby exchanged a glance. "Well," Toby began, "we'd had a few possibilities, but we wanted to wait till we saw the babies for the first time to make a final decision."

"And," Happy said, "Considering we now have three babies we need to name, I think we can use both of the girl names that we liked, since we couldn't decide on one definite choice."

Toby laughed. "At one point, we thought we might give the little girl four names because we liked them so much." He tickled his sleeping daughter's little feet. She wrinkled her nose in response, but carried on in an undisturbed, blissful state of sleep. "Guess we won't need to do that now."

And, by the end of the evening, the triplets' information had been recorded: the first baby girl, the one with jet black hair, was named Holly Grace Quinn-Curtis; her sister, Hope Elizabeth Quinn-Curtis; and their brother, Harrison Michael Quinn-Curtis. Holly, Hope, and Harrison – three beautiful names for three beautiful babies. As someone once said, "The littlest feet make the biggest footprints in our hearts." These babies had made a permanent imprint on Happy and Toby's hearts, and the couple had never felt more blessed or thankful than the moment that happened.

 _Author's Note: A special thank you to Anonwrite for proofreading assistance/editing and feedback! It is much appreciated. :-)_


	5. A Thousand Moments

_A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted – mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more._ ~Morgan Matson

She had been working on this project for a while, but the last few months had been hard. Never one to leave a project unfinished, she had decided she was ready to pick it back up. At least, she thought she had been ready. Instead, she spent more time looking at the pictures on her desk than at her tools in front of her. The pictures spoke of a happier time – carefree days of laughter with her friends; the tender, first days of her love and relationship with him; the early part of their marriage…all of those pictures were beautiful but sad reminders of a happier, contented past.

Deciding she was ready for an early dinner break, she dropped her tools, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door to her bike. She didn't really have a set destination in mind, but before long, she ended up at Kovelsky's. ' _Old habits die hard,_ ' she thought. She ordered her usual – a cheeseburger with extra lettuce and mustard, a medium Coke, and a vanilla shake. Taking her food, she took it back to the garage and ascended the stairs to the rooftop. Though the other team members were there, the only acknowledgement of her presence were small nods in her direction. They knew what this day was and all of them, even Walter, knew it was best to let her be.

 _I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with you._

 _And then I realize…you spent the rest of your life with me._

 _I smile because I know you loved me till the day you went away,_

 _And will keep loving me…till the day we meet again._

 _~Unknown_

Sitting there on the rooftop, sipping her shake and staring out at the L.A. skyline, her mind drifted back to the first time she told him she loved him. It had been on a Saturday evening, eight months or so months into them dating. They'd just gotten her first marriage dissolved and had spent the night before celebrating, both with the team and privately at her apartment. Well, on that Saturday, the couple spent the day in bed relaxing – reading, watching movies, just spending quality time with one another. Well, he had gotten up to shower because, as he said, "I've gotta be fresh for my honey bear kitten pie." She had been reading and threw a pillow at him, hitting him square in the face; during the entire exchange, she never broke her concentration from her book. The mechanic looked up at the sound of his surprise squeal. Her boyfriend was grinning like an idiot, and she started laughing at the dumbstruck lovelorn look on his face. Grabbing him by the shirt, she pulled him in for a quick but nonetheless deep kiss before pushing him towards the bathroom. "Your breath stinks, you stupid dummy moron jerk. Go get a mint," she complained. His laughter rang out through the room as he shut the door behind him.

Soon after, Happy heard the shower turn on, the sound of Fifth Harmony's "Work from Home" drifting under the door and into her bedroom. She could hear Toby singing along, albeit off-key. She imagined dancing and shaking his hips to the music, using the shower brush as a mic as he washed off. She laughed at the mental image. ' _What did I do to deserve him?_ ' she thought. As she scanned her bedroom, she noticed how much Toby had integrated himself into her space and life in the few months they'd been together. He had his own drawer in her dresser and she'd made space in her closet for some of his clothes, shoes, and a few other personal belongings. His shirt and pants from the night before were thrown in a corner of her room. A few of his psych journals sat on one of the bedside tables. Thankfully, he preferred the left side of the bed; even if he hadn't, she would not give up sleeping on the right side of the bed for anything. The ring Toby had had made for her was tucked away in a drawer at his apartment. As he had said a couple of months before, ' _You'll know when you're ready for that step. And when you are, I'll be right here, and we'll take it together_.'

As she glanced around her bedroom and thought back over the last few months, her heart swelled with love for this man who had stood beside her through thick and thin. Even when she had dropped the bomb onto him about her secret marriage, he'd been there for her. Through his kidnapping, her struggle to reconcile herself with her past, and their fight together for their future, Toby never wavered in his love and faith in her. In that moment, she realized something that deep down she had down known and felt for some time, but Happy had been afraid to this to herself before now.

It was about this time that Toby walked back into the bedroom from the adjoining master bath. He had thrown on a pair of pajama pants and a Harvard t-shirt and was towel-drying his hair. "Hey, sugar plum," he commented, bringing Happy back from dreamland. "You look like you had gotten lost in that beautiful brain of yours. Care to share? You thinking about how to take apart my toaster again? Or how to hotwire a car? Just so you know, I find all that very attractive." He wiggled his eyebrows, and though Happy tried, she couldn't help a google that slipped through her pursed lips. At this, Toby made his way over to the bed, and Happy grabbed the front of his shirt. The force of her pull and Toby's weight had them tumbling back onto the bed. Toby braced himself on the bed, his hands on either side of Happy as she deepened the kiss. Soon, she shifted; Toby's back was on the bed with Happy kneeling above him. Looking into his hazel eyes, she whispered the words she'd been holding back for months. "Doc, I love you." Those four words caused Toby's eyes to widen and brighten, a smile of shock and then elation appearing on his face. Gently taking her face in his hands, Toby whispered "I love you" over and over. He peppered her face and neck with feather-light kisses; Happy giggled. Toby had figured out soon after they started dating that Happy was ticklish on certain parts of her neck. Her boyfriend used this to his advantage at times. Between her admission of love and their elation at Happy being free from her first marriage, the couple enjoyed a weekend together like no other.

Being together, free to kiss and hold one another without fear of reprisal or rejection, brought tears to Happy's eyes as she recalled that moment in her past. She gazed out at the L.A. skyline as she came back to reality. The sky was painted with brilliant streaks of pink, purple, and orange as the sun set on the western horizon. With her wedding ring prominently displayed on her left hand, she fingered with a chain around her neck; she had worn her engagement ring around her neck for the last year or so. With her right hand, she raised her Coke in a toast as she gazed out at the world beyond the garage. Glancing for a moment at her left hand and her necklace, she realized both were wet from silent tears she'd cried as she reminisced about her psychiatrist love. She kissed her rings, silently whispered, "Happy anniversary, Doc," and watched as the last rays of light faded into the dark night sky.

 _The light has gone out of my life._ ~President Theodore Roosevelt, in a February 14, 1884, journal entry, penned following the deaths of his mother and wife on the same day


	6. Inside and Out: First Introductions

_No one else will know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside._ ~Anonymous

Dear Baby "QC" (Quinn-Curtis),

I am not much for words, but I wanted to somehow make known these thoughts swirling around in my head right now. Your dad is worried about me – afraid that the situation of getting my marriage to Walter resolved and the possibility your dad and I not being hitched by the time you arrive is causing me unneeded stress. I deny it in front of everyone, sometimes even to him (even if it is just the two of us), but honestly, not providing a home for you – one where your dad and I are married by the time of your birth (a "fully functioning legally bound family" is how he put it) – is something I worry about. I know that a ring or a piece of paper does not mean we will love you, or each other, any less, but our haphazard and scattered childhoods is not something I ever want to think could be a distant possibility for you. Your dad and I love each other and love you, and never doubt that, regardless of the legalities of it, we are a family, now and forever.

Your dad is so excited to meet you in a few months. He's micro-managing, but despite his quirks, I know it is coming from a place of love, compassion, and concern for me and you. Now, I would never tell him that to his face; I'm afraid that might encourage him regarding a few of his more extreme behaviors. But I think you're wise enough to keep this little secret between us for now.

I was in shock, to say the least, when I found out I was pregnant. I think I sat in the bathroom alone in my apartment for a good hour or two before it really hit me. Your coming certainly wasn't planned, but now that I know about you, have seen you move and heard your heartbeat, I can't imagine what life would be like without you.

I never even considered that kids could be in my future. Heck, I never considered love or marriage (a real marriage to someone like your father) to be a possibility, either. Yet, all the improbabilities occurred: I met and fell in love with your dad; he proposed (and we'll get there again, I promise; I'll make sure of it); and even in the midst of our personal troubles, you came into being. You coming is something I never thought would be possible, but now I realize it may be something I never knew I wanted, but I would not trade for anything. I may not be able to express myself like your father can, but I am more excited for this, for all the adventures we are going to have, for you, than I could ever say.

Because I am not good with words, I wanted to put down on paper what I am feeling at this moment: I love you, cherish you, and care for you in such a way that I never knew existed. I thought I had the only love I'd need when I first realized I was falling for your dad, but that love for him is so different compared to the love I have for you already, even though I have yet to officially meet you. (I realize now that the love I have for you is something else I need; it makes everything complete.) There are a lot of scary things and uncertainties in this world, and I want you to know that you will not have to face any of them alone. Your dad and I only want the best for you, and I hope this letter will one day find its way to you in some shape or form. For now, I am going to write it and put it away for safekeeping. This place of safekeeping represents the part of my heart where you already lie: safe, loved, and highly treasured. But one day, when you're older, I might pull out this letter to show you. This will prove that I am not a robot (contrary to what your dad might say sometimes); my emotions and feelings just run deep within me. Because of my genius mind and my upbringing, I was never able to express myself as a "normal" person would, but that does not mean I am a cold, calculated being. I just express myself differently than other people. While your dad might rattle off observations and calculations to express his opinions, I might yell, hit, or throw things to release my anger. (That is not to say I would condone that sort of behavior from you; quite the opposite, QC.)

Another thing I want to say: reach out into the world, spread your wings, and never back down from your passions, dreams, and desires in life. There are people in this world that will try to break you down, but know that your dad and I – along with your grandpa Patrick and the team – will be here for you, loving you and strengthening you in your weakest and darkest moments. Make sure to always treat people with respect and love. And while much of this world may be filled with people who are sinister and crude, I hope that you will take the higher ground and be the difference the world is looking for. There are good people in this world, and I pray that you will be one of them.

Your dad and I aren't perfect, but what has made our relationship what it is is that we know it is okay to be different. Those differences, quirks, and idiosyncrasies define us as unique individuals, and loving someone with all of these means the love we have for each other is unlike anything else in the world. I found this quote recently that summarizes this thought best: "Love is built through imperfection, difference and freedom to be what you are, that way [your] love should be long lasting forever."

Here are several things I want you to know before I end this letter for tonight.

 _ **It is okay to fail.**_

Now, coming from a genius, that can be hard to admit. However, we all have flaws; we all make mistakes. It is okay to be imperfect. Please don't let anyone tell you otherwise! While the rest of the world may be pressuring you to look, act, and dress a certain way, I want to encourage you to be nothing but yourself. Don't let anyone else play a role in your identity as an individual. Never let anyone tell you are worthless. You are priceless – irreplaceable, unmistakable, and incomparable; your uniqueness is a beautiful thing. You are treasured, valued, and loved. Your dad told me this once: "A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections."

 _ **Treat everyone with respect.**_

You do not have to agree with everyone's decisions, but I do want to encourage you to at least respect people you come in contact with. There are too many people in this world living a life of hate, and the reality is that the world needs people like you to love without boundaries. Love your friends, your family, your enemies, and even people you don't even know. Walk about your life in a posture of love, no matter what gets thrown your way.

 _ **You are loved.**_

Even if there are times where you'll feel alone, unwanted, or heaven forbid useless, I want you to remember that you are loved. Your dad and I, your grandpa Patrick, the team…we all love you and are here for you. Even with our idiosyncrasies and problems, we love each other and those weaknesses help build us up and make us stronger together. And when that day comes where you'll meet someone who will walk beside you and be there for you in the ups and downs in life, understand this: Don't make yourself perfect for someone to love you. Just wait for someone who loves your imperfections.

 _ **You will always have**_ _ **a home.**_

No matter what happens in life, you can always come back home to your dad and I. This is a simple and powerful truth but it is one that will keep our family strong and bonded in an unshakeable way.

 _ **You can always talk to**_ _ **us.**_

We're never going to judge you, criticize you, or make you regret opening your heart to us. No matter what happens, we will always be willing to talk to you with open ears and an open heart. Your dad and I do not want you to ever be afraid to tell us what you're going through in life. I'm positive we are eventually going to have some tough conversations, but as long as you know we both love you and want the best for you, I hope and pray you will view our counsel as loving and paved with the best intentions.

There is still another six months or so before you arrive, but I cannot wait to see you. I am certain there will be more that I will think about and want to say. I'll write it down when the time comes. Get ready for an exciting life of adventure and fun; with Scorpion, you never know what the day has in store for you. Your dad and I love you so much and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

We will always be there for you, QC; never, ever doubt that.

Now, I've got to be going for now. Your dad is on this kick where, if I won't eat steak and eggs, I should be eating peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars. "The perfect blend of salty and sweet, protein and whole grains, all wrapped up in nice, little, snack-size bites for my blossoming beauty." I love the guy for wanting to help me and you to be healthy, but right now, I am craving more for a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie with cookies 'n cream ice cream on top than a box of peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars. Oh, well. It's a good thing he stocked up on that pie on his last trip out to that fruit stand; I'll have him run to the garage to get a couple of slices and pick up some of that ice cream on the way back. Your father can be a handful, but I would not trade him for anything. In all honesty, my life was utterly boring until the day he came into it, and I have never been the same since.

So, goodnight for now, and I love you very much.

Love,

Your Mom

 _For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb._ ~Psalm 139:13


	7. Caves, Candy, and Costumes

_Thanks to Caroline and Maggie for their help/feedback! Happy Halloween everyone!_

Happy was thrilled when Toby had taken the last of the pictures he needed of her and Walter in costume in order to display their "Halloween history," as Paige had put it, for their INS caseworker, Joyce Linehan. The Egyptian queen costume wasn't the most comfortable because it hugged her in a way that, with her growing baby bump, made it a little difficult to breathe. Yet, despite the discomfort, Happy couldn't help but feel the slightest bit sexy in it, especially with Toby's comment about saving it for their honeymoon. Yeah, she'd told him to can it, but she said stuff like that to him in public quite often. Privately, the banter was something she enjoyed, the closeness with him something she cherished. But, role-playing…that took it to a whole other level.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Toby come around the corner where they'd placed the dressing station. The psychiatrist walked up her as she was slipping her jacket back on. He pulled her hair from out of her jacket collar, gently kissed the back of her neck, and, after turning her around with a small smile, ran his fingers through her hair after he'd pushed it off her face. Happy, exhausted from the last couple of weeks of living with Walter to keep up this front of a marriage, leaned back into Toby's chest. She laid her cheek in the crook of his shoulder, the methodical motion of his hands in her hair making her drowsy.

Unfortunately, though, Toby had to break this moment of rest between the two of them. The team had been called to a job to infiltrate a deep, vast cave system as to prevent the destruction of the North American ecosystem by an extremely large bat population. Toby had to go help Walt get the supplies together that they needed. Happy, however, could take her time; because of her pregnancy, she'd been relegated to babysitting duty for Ralph at the garage in the team's absence. Even though she'd initially protested when Toby had put his foot down on the matter of her staying, internally Happy was relieved. She was still wrapping her head around this whole pregnancy matter, but she wanted to take every precaution possible to keep her baby safe and healthy. If that meant babysitting Ralph at the garage, so be it. In her state of mind, keeping busy helped reduce the increased stress and tension she was feeling over this entire situation.

Happy glanced up at the Doc when he'd stopped running his hands through her hair. He answered the question in her eyes with a kiss to her forehead. "I know it's relaxing, babe, but I've gotta help Walt get everything ready to go to the caves," he said regretfully.

Happy's response was with a bit of whine in her tone as she asked if he could keep going for a few minutes longer. Her boyfriend smiled sheepishly but shook his head no. "Sweetheart, if I do, a few minutes will turn into many minutes; many minutes into hours; and I'd never make it out of here," Toby said. "You stay here with Ralph, and I promise I'll text you when I can while we're gone."

"But, Toby," Happy replied, "we've been staying here at the garage with Walter for the last three weeks. We're both exhausted, mentally and physically, and I haven't had a chance to be alone with you in that entire time."

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry. However, with Linehan…" Toby started.

"For one second, I don't care about Linehan. I don't care about Walter, his citizenship issues, or the INS. Right now, I'm talking about you and me," Happy snapped.

"You, me, and the baby," Toby corrected her.

Happy smiled a bit. "Yes," she said, "you, me, and the baby."

She sighed. "I get that we need to keep this thing up, but I liked it when I was able to have you to myself, where we could spend time together, just the two of us." The pregnant engineer reached out, interlocking her fingers with his, giving his hand a light squeeze, before she continued. "For just a little bit, I want to go back to the way things were before, before Linehan and the citizenship thing got in the way."

When Happy said that, a ghost of a sad smile appeared for a moment on Toby's face, and she realized the double meaning of her words. They weren't able to go back to the way things were before – before the marriage news or the citizenship issues. No, Happy realized, things would never really be the same, and that realization made her heart constrict and ache at the pain she'd caused her boyfriend, the only man she had ever really loved and given her whole self to. However, she had said – and meant – that she would do whatever it took to get the divorce from Walter to marry Toby. Not just because of the impending arrival of their little one, but also because she was in love with him and never wanted to be separated from him again in any way, shape, or form. For her, Toby was it, and she would do anything she could to help heal Toby's bruised and broken heart.

"Is there any way," Happy started once more before Toby could respond to her poor choice in wards, "for us to have even a little bit of time together, away from Walter and the rest of the team?"

Toby thought for a moment before he replied, an excited smile crossing his face. "Well, I know Walt had mentioned that Linehan would be out of town from the 30th through November 4th for a conference, based on her calendar. Paige convinced Walter to give us Halloween off, so we could spend the night before and the night of Halloween at my apartment. That way, we'd have some time away from the rest of the team, and we could relax – watch movies, read – and catch up on sleep."

Happy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That sounds great, Doc. However, I don't think I'm going to want to sleep that much while we're there," she said mischievously, taking a step closer to press the length of her body against his.

Toby stared at her in confusion. "Really, Hap? I know you've said it, and I've seen it, that you're exhausted. A lack of sleep isn't good for you or the baby, and…" Happy put her hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"Listen, dummy," she said. "I'll sleep, of course. However, like I said earlier, it's been almost three weeks since we've had any alone time. At this point in my pregnancy, my morning sickness has tapered off, and my energy levels are better. According to my research, this time during a woman's pregnancy is the best time that a couple can enjoy each other's company, if you get what I mean. It also increases intimacy between partners, which in turn helps relieve any potential stress and tension." She winked at Toby and couldn't help the laugh that escaped at the sight of his wide eyes and dropped jaw.

"Happy Quinn, are you saying…" he squeaked, sliding his hands around her waist.

"Yes, I am," she snickered and gestured to the Egyptian costume hanging up behind her, "and I might even have this costume for you. I mean, it is Halloween; I'll have to dress up at some point."

All Toby could do was stand there, his eyes wide in shock; on the inside, though, he was giddy at the thought of spending two nights alone with Happy. And her in that costume…oh, he could only imagine.

Happy grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down for a deep kiss before pushing him back toward the door. "Now go, you dummy. The sooner you go help Walter, the sooner you all can make it to the cave, and the sooner you can come back so you can have a couple days off, with me and the baby."

At this, Toby quickly kissed her on the lips and dashed off to find his supplies, leaving in his midst a laughing Happy. Subconsciously rubbing her baby bump, Happy grabbed her stuff and headed off to find Ralph. She didn't mind at all watching him – it'd be good practice for when the baby came – but it was nice to have something fun to look forward to at the end of this mission. And oh, she thought wryly, what fun it would be.


	8. Home Is Where the Heart Is

_Author's Note: This was originally posted as a part of the "Scorpion Secret Santa" exchange on Tumblr. This is one part of a two-story gift fic set for raredelightfulloveoak (Rose). Hope y'all enjoy it! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all!_

 _Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home._ ~Mother Teresa

 _The truth is… I gave my heart away a long time ago, my whole heart… and I never really got it back._ ~Melanie Carmichael, _Sweet Home Alabama_

Paige had convinced Walter to give the team off the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Toby and Happy were quite pleased with that – Toby had all but jumped out of his pants in excitement over the announcement – but their time off did not turn out quite the way either one had planned. Toby was called away by Homeland Security to help with a separate case in which he had to analyze and pick out possible threats at a G8 Conference held in New York. He left Christmas night; when Happy woke up the next morning, she realized she was suffering from a full-fledged cold.

Coughing and wheezing, sniffling and sneezing – these were the sounds that occupied her day instead of the banging and hammering of her tools on metal to pass the time while Toby was away. Paige and Ralph came over several times during the four days Toby was gone to help her as much as she would let them. Then Sly, while wanting to help Happy, but not expose himself to her illness, sent via Paige various medicines and vitamins to help speed up her recovery. Thus, Happy's "vacation" became a "stay-cation" and a countdown of the days till Toby came home.

Toby's plane landed late on the night of the 29th. Happy, try as she may, was unable to stay awake because the Nyquil and other cold medications had kicked in. So, the only greeting exchanged between the two that night was a light kiss on the forehead and a whispered "I'm home, babe. Love you and sleep tight" from Toby; Happy mumbled her greetings before drifting off to sleep. When she awoke the next morning, feeling better than she had in days, Happy thought it was all a medicine-induced dream until she saw the indentation in the other pillow and her fiancé's phone lying on the bedside table.

Grabbing her robe, she threw it on as she walked through the bedroom door, down the hall, and to the kitchen where strains of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" could be heard. Glancing around the corner, she saw Toby moving to the beat of the music while mixing what looked like pancake batter in a large metal bowl. The mechanical engineer quietly walked up to him and slid her arms around his waist, leaning forward and up to plant a kiss on the back of his neck. She could hear the smile in his voice when he replied with a "Good morning, sleepyhead. Feeling any better?" She nodded in reply, laid her cheek against his back, and sighed contentedly, glad to finally have her fiancé back. Toby laid down his cooking utensils, then turned around, where he took Happy into his arms and planted a soft kiss at her hairline.

"I'm sorry you haven't felt well, sweetheart," he said, "but I heard through the grapevine that Sly via Paige kept you well-stocked with vitamins and medication."

Happy could only nod and mumble a reply, as she was still half-asleep and too content in Toby's embrace to utter a proper response. Toby could tell by the way Happy leaned her whole weight into his embrace that she was probably more exhausted than what she was letting on. Though his heart ached for how sick his fiancée was, Toby did not pass up a moment to have a quiet, serene moment with Happy. These small and vulnerable moments were becoming more of the norm in their private life, and Toby loved and cherished every minute of it.

"You get much sleep while I was gone?" he asked.

Happy replied but it was so quiet and muffled that Toby asked her to repeat it.

"I slept," she reiterated in a louder tone of voice. "However, it wasn't restful because you weren't here for me to snuggle into and cuddle with. I missed you and your warmth."

"Snuggle, huh?" Toby chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose, to which she crinkled her face in response. "You still must not be fully you yet because my Happy rarely uses the words 'snuggle' or 'cuddle'. C'mon, sweetheart. The pancakes can wait; I'm putting you back to bed." Happy tried to fight him, stating "I'm not a baby," but her lack of a struggle – in addition to her snuggling further into the crook of Toby's shoulder – further demonstrated how sick and exhausted she was.

The behaviorist lifted her in his arms and took Happy back to their bedroom without any additional complaint from her, tucking her in with another gentle kiss on her forehead. As he turned to walk away, Happy grabbed his wrist and pulled on him, motioning for him to join her in bed. Toby didn't hesitate to submit to his fiancée'srequest. He immediately kicked off his slippers and slid underneath the comforter and extra quilts, a peaceful smile on both of their faces. Taking Happy into his arms, she laid her head on his chest, snuggling deeper into his side with a content sigh and a murmured "Love you". Not long after, the couple's breathing slowed and both drifted off to sleep, the most restful sleep either had had in four days.

 _For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home_. ~Stephanie Perkins, _Anna and the French Kiss_

 _I'm dreamin' of a place I love  
_ _Even more than I usually do,  
_ _And although I know it's a long road back  
_ _I promise you…  
_ _Where the love light beams,  
_ _I'll be home for Christmas,  
_ _If only in my dreams…  
_ ~Bing Crosby, "I'll Be Home for Christmas"


	9. In Your Arms

_Author's Note: This is inspired by Monday night's episode "Ice Ca-Cabes". I couldn't sleep afterwards, so I wrote this in about three hours. This is dedicated to all those who have never felt along or unloved in the world. You are loved and never think or believe otherwise._

Happy took a deep breath and tried to compose herself in the bathroom at her apartment. She had just come back from visiting Cabe at the hospital, and she still could not quite believe that all the events that had transpired over the last twelve hours had actually happened. Toby had stayed back at the hospital to talk to Cabe's attending physician about the surgery and their team dad's road to recovery. Like she had felt when Collins had kidnapped Toby back in April, she had not realized how much Cabe had meant to her until it looked like he might be ripped away from her. Now, she couldn't imagine not having in her life this man she viewed as a second father. Several tears started to escape as she recalled the moment he slipped away when she and the team worked to freeze him, and the pure terror she felt and the screams that escaped when it looked as if Cabe was gone for good. She took another deep, shuddering breath, reminding herself that Cabe was fine and Toby was fine; everyone was fine and there was no point in dwelling on it. Nevertheless, she was still on edge, and it did little to settle her. Today was yet another reminder how fragile life was and how quickly it could change.

Happy thoroughly brushed her teeth to rid her mouth of the gasoline taste from earlier before heading to her bedroom. Laying down on her bed, mental and physical exhaustion starting to set in, Happy couldn't help but recall this poem she read some time ago when she was going through some of her mother's things that her father had saved for her.

 _Life is so fragile,  
as we breathe each day.  
A little of us is gone.  
A fraction of a minute,  
a lifetime of our being.  
As we live our day,  
we lose a part of our lives.  
Never to recover its content.  
never to experience it again.  
our life is but a minute,  
and it passes in mere seconds.  
We experience our loves.  
And our life in seconds.  
Cherish our memories.  
And wish we could  
live it all once more.  
But the frailty of our life,  
reminds us we are mortal.  
Doomed to die one day.  
And the world will go on,  
without us.  
We shall be but a thought,  
to all.  
Someone they once knew..._

 _~Lucia Garcia,_ "The Frailty of Life"

At the time, Happy was surprised her mother had like something so sad and morbid that her mother liked. Yet, now with some external perspective and personal experience of the cycle of life and death, Happy realized that the poem was not just one of sadness and morbidity. It was a reminder, a cry for those alive to cherish what they have, never to let a day or a moment be wasted. For the mechanical genius, this was a stark reminder for her to open herself up more, because everything and everyone she loved and cherished could be gone in an instant.

When she had initially asked her dad about the poem, Patrick responded with: "Life is fragile, our moments are fleeting, and your mother knew that. Considering the upheaval her family went through when she was little – with her father's early death and her mother not being around as much because she worked to support your mother and your great-grandparents – Grace recognized that life's little moments are to be appreciated. When we found out we were expecting you, even a detail as small as picking out a fabric or paint color for your room held special meaning because of the love and excitement surrounding the reason for doing so. I love you, your mother loved you, and we could not be prouder of the strong, independent, and caring woman that you have grown up to be."

Happy had smirked a bit when her father had said Happy was "caring," but even the genius herself knew she had come a long way from her early days with Scorpion. When she had first joined the team, Happy was a cynical, closed-off individual, hardened from the years of loneliness, abandonment, and abuse she had suffered in the foster care system. Over time though, first with the team and later with Toby, initially as his best friend and later in their personal relationship, the mechanical prodigy began to open up. Her one-on-one talks with Sly and Walter about their personal relationships and struggles; her desperate, heartfelt attempt for Toby to stop himself from passing the point of no return with gambling; and her building a relationship with her father and Cabe – these were all moments that demonstrated what a "softie" she was becoming. And in all honesty, that did not bother Happy. She was becoming less of a robot and more of a human being. Hell, she was even starting to sound like Toby, and that was something she was still a bit conflicted about. She loved the Doc with all her heart, but even the recollection of her "cutie that's hot for your booty" line made her shiver at exactly _how much_ he was rubbing off on her.

At that moment, she heard the squeak of the door hinges, and that signaled to Happy that her fiancé had arrived back from the hospital. Making a mental note to check the door hinges later, Happy walked out to greet Toby. Before he could even take off his coat, Happy's arms were around his waist, and she laid her head in the crook of his shoulder, snuggling as close as she possibly could into his embrace, her eyes fluttering shut as she took in the familiar, comforting scent that was all Toby. Following his initial surprise, the Doc wrapped his arms around his short fiancée, kissing the top of her head as he ran his hands through her tangled curls.

"Not that I don't enjoy your hugs, sugar plum, but this isn't how you normally greet me," he chuckled, kissing her head again. "Normally I get a "hey, you" or a passionate, mind-numbing kiss. Why the sudden change, princess?"

Toby had some idea of the reason behind her sudden change of behavior, but he knew her well enough that he was sure his fiancée would open up when she was ready to share. As the psychiatrist continued to run his fingers through her hair, Happy tightened her grip and leaned further into his embrace, the methodical motion of his hands in her hair making her drowsy.

Several minutes passed before Happy shifted her gaze upward. As a look of questioning appeared in the doctor's eyes, the dark-haired genius pulled her fiancé down and gave him a gentle kiss, more gentle than she had ever done before. With a small moan, the kiss deepened as she buried her hands in his curls and Toby pulled Happy closer, pressing the length of his body against hers. It was only when both came up for air that Happy did something Toby had never before witnessed. She interlocked her right hand with his left, and with a look of pure, soft love in her eyes, gently kissed the top of his hand while caressing his cheek with her free hand.

"I love you, Doc," Happy started with a small smile. "To quote one of your favorite books, 'I could not tell you if I loved you the first moment I saw you, or if it was the second or third or fourth. But I remember the first moment I looked at you walking toward me and realized that somehow the rest of the world seemed to vanish when I was with you.'"

Toby laughed with delight at her literary reference, but he grew quiet when he saw that Happy was not done speaking.

"Today with Cabe, back in April with you, and last winter with my near-death experiences, I grasped at how much my friends and family mean to me. I don't want to let another moment pass by meaninglessly. So whether it is you and me watching a movie, me playing games like Stratego with Cabe" – she motioned to their unfinished game at her dining room table – "or the team just chilling at the garage, I want to experience life. The good and bad, the ups and downs – I want to live it. Life isn't worth living without taking risks," she took a deep breath before continuing, "and I am so thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. Thank you for choosing me and for loving me unconditionally. When I'm in your arms, I feel safe and loved, and there is no other place on earth I'd rather be. So, Tobias Merriweather Curtis, whether it is here in Los Angeles or somewhere far away, I know as long as I'm with you, I am home."

Toby was shocked at her admission but realized the significance behind it. She felt safe with him, truly realizing how loved and cherished she was, not only by him but by Cabe, her father, and the team. Despite the years of abuse and abandonment she had suffered through in the foster care system, there was a warm, loving heart behind her hard and sometimes cold exterior. As Happy snuggled back into his arms, all the psychiatrist could think about was how lucky he was to be marrying a woman as wonderful as Happy Grace Quinn. _She's going to make a wonderful mother someday,_ Toby couldn't help but think as a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

As though she had read his mind, she glanced up at him and said, "Oh, in the midst of all the excitement of today, I forgot to tell you my bit of news." Toby's look of confusion and curiosity only brought a wide smile to Happy's face. She stepped back, her smile only growing as she took a deep breath before speaking. "Toby, you said it would happen when the time was right. You and I…" She took another deep breath to steady herself before continuing. "You and I are going to get the chance to wait outside a school, to be there and cherish a child that's our own. Doc," Happy said as a large smile formed on Toby's face, "I'm pregnant."

 _You're always there to wrap me in your arms._

 _Even when I slip and fall,_

 _You're with me through it all._ _  
_ _Through it all I know you'll be there…_

 _I'm falling into your arms again…_

 _~Capital Kings_ , "Into Your Arms"

 _I look at you and see the rest of my life in front of my eyes. ~Unknown_


	10. Fire and Rain

_Author's note: To my beautiful, sweet friend Emma (_ quintisforlife _on Tumblr)! I hope you had a wonderful birthday. This is for you, dearie. :-)_

"The higher you build walls around your heart, the harder you fall when someone tears them down." ~Unknown

Happy had always been tough, intimidating, the one others were afraid of. Because of her past – her abandonment, cruel and abusive foster families, the instability of her childhood, teen years, and her first marriage – she had never like she was worth much to anybody. That is, until she joined team Scorpion. Then, her world began to change. Despite all the initial troubles, the family she had found with Scorpion was one that could never be replaced. Her reconnecting with her father brought to reality the father-daughter relationship she desperately craved and wished for as a little girl. And meeting Toby, falling in love with him, brought her a joy and happiness like she had never known before.

But, with the Doc, her walls had started coming down. Between their attempts to "replace" one another, to their getting together, her secret marriage and false pregnancy, his gambling issues and struggle to break the habit – the trust between Happy and Toby had grown, their connection stronger and relationship more intimate with one another. In her darkest hour when she found out she wasn't pregnant the first time, he held her and loved her unconditionally, assuring her that their dreams of a family would come true. From the moment she slipped the ring Toby had chosen onto her finger, her future was set and secure. Despite the challenges they faced – finances, near-death expenses, and a real but nonetheless surprise pregnancy that gave them their beautiful triplets – Happy was a stronger and wiser person because of Toby.

The mechanic took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart. She couldn't believe this day had come. In spite of everything that had happened – horrible childhoods, messed up relationships, mixed signals and unresolved issues – this day, this moment, had finally arrived. From the moment she slipped the engagement ring Toby had chosen onto her finger, Happy knew where her future lay, and she would not have had it any other way.

As Happy took her father's arm, and after adjusting the hem of her dress once more, she began her slow march down the aisle of the chapel. There, at the front, Toby stood, Walter flanking his right. Though Walter had made significant improvements in the human emotions department, he still attempted to argue the uselessness of the "best man" position when Toby had first asked him. Of course, a bit of talking and coaxing from Paige smoothed things over…and six months later, here they were. Paige was ready on the left, grinning ear-to-ear as Happy and Patrick made their slow walk towards the altar. Each step Happy took was one step closer to Toby – her future husband – to a life she had dreamed about but never thought possible.

As she and her father neared the altar, a song from several years back popped into her brain. It was a Disney song – one from some musical about some Happy; Happy hated the movie but Toby loved it for some reason. Anyhow, there was a moment where a difference of opinion threatened to tear the main couple apart. However, even amid their struggle to comprehend and overcome the obstacle in front of them, the couple knew that one person was not complete without the other. The lyrics flowed through Happy's brain, the beat of the music timed perfectly with Happy's steady walk to the altar: _"Like fire and rain/You can drive me insane/But I can't stay mad at you for anything/We're like Venus and Mars/We're like different stars/But you're the harmony to every song I sing/And I wouldn't change a thing."_ Happy found more in common with the comparison and contrast of fire and rain rather than the musical aspects to the tune. She was the fire – hot-tempered, strong, fearful, and brilliant in its light and warmth. Toby was the rain: he has his moments of pure anger and frustration that could cause a great storm but he was also gentle, calming, soothing, and comforting like a gentle spring shower. Each element had its gentle and harsh qualities, but one could not ultimately exist without the other. Water gives life to the earth and puts out fires, yet kindling from the earth starts a fire and provides warmth and protection. Happy and Toby were alike in this way. Each had their own good and bad qualities, but together, each person stretched and strengthened the other individual. _Yes_ , Happy thought _, Toby may drive me insane. He is a talkative, perceptive, incessantly curious smart-aleck, but he is also loving, kind, and my rock. In him, I have found a best friend, a confidant, and a lover. He is solace, my strength, my home, my forever. I am so thankful I had the chance to fall in love with him because it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me._

At this, several tears escaped Happy's eyes, but she didn't care. Because it was in that moment, all that mattered was the man standing at the altar, who had waited a lifetime to share his love with her. And with her father at her side and her children on the front row, Happy knew she had the life, love, and family she always dreamed of. To Toby, to her children, her father, and her friends, Happy was loved and cherished, an irreplaceable gem to those who knew her, and she knew that the pain of her past now gave way to a wonderful, bright, and hopeful future.

"Falling in love was never in my plan. Until one day, I just realized that I love this person too much." ~Unknown

"She leaned forward and caught at his hand, pressing it between her own. The touch was like white fire through his veins. He could not feel her skin only the cloth of her gloves, and yet it did not matter. _You kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire._ He had wondered once why love was always phrased in terms of burning. The conflagration in his own veins, now, gave the answer." ~Cassandra Clare, _Clockwork Princess_


	11. I Choose You

_A/N:_ _Between the Quintis wedding vows and their journey demonstrating their love and devotion to each other over the last year, I had plenty of material to inspire me. Part of this is related to Quintis canon while the other portion is interwoven with the Quintis story or related characters I have created in my writings. I hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave any feedback/comments. Thank you!_

 _This is dedicated to Maggie, Caroline, Gianna, Kylie Shaye, Cait, Nicole, Sara, and Shan for their_ _kindness, encouragement, and support - this chapter is for you._

"What I love most about my home is who I share it with." ~Tim Carpenter

* * *

Dear Toby,

I am not the greatest at voicing my thoughts or feelings. So, I thought that writing a letter might help me in telling you how I really feel about you.

Looking at you some days, I feel like the world must weigh on you a lot. I know you try to be the positive personality, a loveable goofball, around the garage, but I know you well enough to know when you are hiding a deep fear or sadness about something. In a time that says women do not need men to make them happy, my heart breaks a little for you. Some women say they could survive without their other half: _You will eventually find happiness again. I am sure your children would grow to be decent human beings._

But for me, life without you?

You fill me with more joy and passion and completeness and life and love than I could have ever imagined. You are part of my soul. Some people that might not know me might say I do not _need you_ to survive and may say you do not _need me_. Oh, how wrong they are. Not only do I need you – _I want you_. I want you all of the time. I rejoice in the strength of the modern woman, and part of the beauty of womanhood these days is making whatever choice you want.

My choice? It is you. Every. Single. Time.

So here is a letter – an "open letter" if you will, that applies to the past, present, and future. To tell you how much I want you. How much I need you. To tell you that I am human. To tell you that I am grateful for you. To tell you how much you matter not only to me, but to the world.

There is an absolute myriad of emotions that I feel about you loving me, despite all of my imperfections – but the one that stands out the most is gratitude. So, thank you.

Thank you for letting me shine. Even with our crazy jobs, you manage this house like a pro and look after our kids with all the care, compassion, and protection they deserve. And you never, ever question me. You never, ever question my ability. You are just always there – on the sidelines – cheering me on, repeating over and over again that I am capable of doing great things. I will admit, even as a genius, I do not always believe you. There are days, in fact, I hardly ever do. But your faith and belief in me is more than enough, all on its own.

Thank you for centering me. You are my rock. You have this loving way of grounding me when I get wild and crazy ideas (and I do the same with you), and this thrilling way of lifting me when I am down. You always seem to know (and give) just what I need at just the right moment.

Thank you for being my teacher. Whether it is you giving me the down-low on the psychological profiling of a case, regaling me another one of your patients and how those lessons apply to our daily life, or the importance of saying "no" sometimes when life gets too demanding (which I am still working on), you always have the patience to walk hand-in-hand with me through this crazy life. It never goes unnoticed.

Thank you for showing me who I really am. Since the day we met, I knew you were different. The minute you walked into my life, I felt immediately comfortable and content with exactly who I am. Everything just made…sense. You have magnified my strengths and my weaknesses, all at the same time. It is confusing. And wonderful. And overwhelming. And oh-my-heavens-I-have-so-much-to-BE. You have seen me at my absolute rock bottom, but you have also caught rare glimpses of my true potential; when I actually manage to wipe aside the dried peach yogurt from my shirt and wade through the Mt. Everest of diapers to show you what I am really capable of.

But what gets me the most?

That you love me all the same. Whether it is making potty jokes with our triplets or coming home with grease on my shirt and oil in my hair, you let me be me. You taught me how to really be myself around our loved ones and to love myself, that I do deserve to love and be loved. In time, the mountain of diapers will be gone, but for now, you drink me all in – and do not seem to mind the messy journey along the way. And it speaks volumes.

So somewhere between the spilled milkshakes in the car and nights when I make you stay awake to watch _Friends_ reruns, I have learned some things, too. Things about marvelous, fascinating, fantastic you.

You have a history worth knowing – so share it with me. Tell me about your past. Tell me about your heartbreaks; your trials at Harvard Medical School (yes, even though I make fun of you for it, I find it _so_ hot and impressive that my husband is an Ivy League grad); those English essays you failed at thirteen in high school; those awkward first dances; and injuries you accrued from trying to play sports growing up. I want to know every-single-thing about you. I do not want to hear it from your college buddies or former associates at your practice. Heck, I do not even want to hear from Walter or Sly. I want to sit on the couch with you and drown myself in nacho cheese and chips hear _every last word._

You have weaknesses worth overcoming. Just because you have weaknesses does not mean you are not strong. In fact, weaknesses make our relationship stronger. When you admit your weaknesses to me, you really say, "I trust you with this. I am showing you that I am vulnerable, and that I need your help." I can help you; you just have to let me. Tell me what you want to overcome, and I will hold your hand, and cry with you, and rejoice with you, and stick by your side until your what-once-was weakness becomes one of your greatest strengths. I have seen you do it before, you can do it again. I will be with you every step of the way. Never, ever feel like you need to hide them from me; even though we are geniuses, we are human. Not hiding your feelings, weaknesses, and worries makes you more human. And it makes me love you even more.

You have a future worth attaining. Set goals with me. Dream with me. Make adventures with me. Whatever you want in life, part of my responsibility is to help make it happen. Tell me your innermost desires, and let me help you get them. You deserve it. I want you to be a man you are happy with, so let me be your driving force.

You have talents worth showcasing. Whether it ike it happen. To ts makes you more human. n. Not hiding your feelings, weaknesses, and owrriepassion, and protections making our children laugh or how you lift everyone around you, nobody can do what you do – and I mean that. Plus, the world needs to see how much milk you can drink in a day. Honestly, it's a talent.

You have fears worth conquering. Your fears make up a part of who you are, and I married the whole package. So tell me what they are, and let me help you. From stage freight and heights to the fear of not knowing how to solve a medical or psychological problem on a case – whatever it is, please share it with me. Nobody deserves to live their lives in fear.

You have opinions worth sharing. What you say matters. What you think matters. You shape this household just as much as I do, and I want to know what you think. Do not like the color of the paint? Let's talk. Contemplating upping our savings? Tell me why. Think the kids need a change of course? Let me know what you want to see happen. As you talk to me, I can understand more clearly what it is you want for yourself, and our family. Often times, my opinions alone are skewed, and I need you to help me balance it all out. Your opinion matters, no matter what it is; I want to hear it.

You have faith worth sustaining. What we believe in – whatever it is, whether math or science or something beyond that – helps center our relationship. Let me strengthen you while you study and learn with me. We are a partnership in so many ways, and when you share your innermost thoughts with me, you share your soul. More than anything, I want to see your soul for all of its true beauty.

But, most importantly, I want you to _be_ _you_. And _only_ you.

That is all I have ever wanted.

I will love you to the ends of the earth and back.

Your wife (next to "Mommy," my most favorite title ever), Happy

* * *

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years." ~Simone Signoret

"We're all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness – and call it love – true love." ~Robert Fulghum, _True Love_

"Truth is, I've bounced around a lot in my life - always kind of unsettled, trying things that came my way, looking for a home... Bottom line, I would not change anything in my past because it's led to where I am today... It led me to be your wife... [a]nd of all the things I've ever been or ever will be, that one is my favorite." ~Happy Quinn-Curtis


	12. It's Gonna Be Me

_Author's note: This is a Quintis one-shot, inspired by spoilers from 4x15 "Wave Goodbye". Thanks to Gianna (wonderpickle on FFN and AO3) for letting me borrow some of her dialogue and ideas from her fantastic one-shot, "Wanted and Unwanted". I elaborated on some of the conversation I would like to think Happy and Toby would have, considering that it is hard for someone in real life to give up an addiction such as gambling. Please feel free to leave any comments/feedback in the reviews section. Thank you, and happy Scorpion Monday!_

* * *

 _"Anger doesn't solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything_. _"_ ~Anonymous

 _"Carrying a child doesn't make you a mom. Dropping everything in your life to make sure your child had a good life, [that] makes you a mom_. _"_ ~Anonymous

* * *

Happy still could not believe how she had found her husband and ex-fiancée, trapped in a casket in that crazy woman Rhonda's office. At first, Happy had been pissed off when she had heard that Toby had run off (almost) in secret with Amy. Then, when she had heard how Rhonda tricked Toby and captured him and Amy, her fears and the intense emotions she had felt when Collins kidnapped Toby resurfaced all over again. She couldn't lose him, not then and certainly not now, when their future as best friends, lovers, husband and wife, and parents was at stake.

So, with the team's help, they breached the location where Toby and Amy were kept after solving the (unfortunately for Happy) more important crisis of stopping a one-hundred-foot wave in its tracks. Happy was ready to pull Toby out of that casket, grab him with everything in her, and hug and kiss him like the world was on fire. Instead, the only thing that was flaming hot was Toby's face and neck when Happy caught him and his _ex-_ fiancée mid-kiss. Mind you, it was not all Toby's idea, but despite this fact, Happy was ready to fly off the handle at her husband.

A couple hours later at the garage, after she laid out her thoughts on the matter, the mechanic began to wonder again if Toby actually knew what he had, what he could have missed out on if he had chosen gambling or even Amy over her. He said he was over Amy, that Happy was the only one he would ever want or need, but Happy still wasn't certain about that. She replayed their initial conservation over in her head.

* * *

 _Gently yet quickly, Toby tried for her shoulders again. This time, she allowed his palms to slip over her jacket. As he sighed sharply, she deepened her frown. "What you said to her about feeling unwanted was dead on the money. I know it was wrong, but I was_ excited _that Quincy didn't want her. In a way, it made me feel like I had won. Not because I still love her, but because I lost the competition way back them."_

 _Happy let the similar looks in their eyes twirl to an infinity in the space between. "I get that you wanted to spare me or whatever. But I know you don't love her. It took me longer than it should've for me to realize, but also I know I'm not just what you settled for. You_ should've _told me."_

" _I know, Happy. I know. I'm sorry." Toby bit his lip. "I was just…glad she could experience what I did. All that loneliness. I think I wanted to help so badly because I could see how miserable she was up close. But I don't want_ you _ever to feel like that, okay? I am always, always right here, and trust me, I wish I'd been locked in that coffin with you. Because you're all that I've ever wanted, and all I will ever want, and you can't let_ anything _, especially this, make you think differently_."

* * *

And with that, she had turned around and walked back to her desk, wondering she could believe Toby when he said she was all he ever wanted or needed. Happy loved him, yes, and she would move heaven and earth to find him, be with him, love him and care for him until her dying breath. _However, just because you love him doesn't mean you can trust him_ , Happy thought to herself. It was like a friend of hers once told her: her friend Léa's mom said she would love her daughter but that didn't mean that she trusted her daughter enough to be around her and depend on her. Léa said that had been a bit of a wake-up call for her to take stock of her surroundings, her character, and her actions, and begin to change how she treated other people. For people like Happy and Léa's mom, actions speak louder than words.

Happy had been shuffled around all of her life. She had not had a real home or family till she met the team and Toby. With this new chapter in her life, her marriage and the possibility of a family, Happy's priorities had changed. With her mom gone and her dad out of her life for now, she could not let something like a gambling addiction or an ex – hers or Toby's – come between her and this new life she had for herself. She needed to make sure Toby understood how serious she was about this warning: she could not be the consolation prize, second-best, the silver medal in this grueling, insane competition that was her life. She and her future, her children, had to be first, or else she would walk away without a second glance.

With this new resolve, she turned away from her current welding project and walked over to Toby's desk. He looked up from the journal he was peer-reviewing, a smile growing as he watched his wife walk towards him. "Hey, sugarplum, what's up? You ready to go?" he asks genially.

"Not quite," she responds tersely. "But I do need to talk to you. Can we go outside for a sec?" With a nod in reply, he got up and followed his wife outside, wondering what sort of topic needed to be discussed. Walt, Paige, and Ralph were out to dinner; Cabe was with Allie at his apartment; and Sly was in his office at the back of garage, working on a project for his position as alderman for West Altadenia. Once the door to the garage shut behind them, she turned around to face her husband. With one glance at her defensive stance, legs spread, arms crossed, Toby knew his beloved wife meant business. He thought they had resolved the issue with Amy earlier…but looking at his wife's defensive stance in front of him, Toby figured he was wrong in that vein of thought.

"Listen, you stupid dummy," she began. _Wow,_ Toby thought, _I don't think she's called me that in months. Okay. I need to listen to this._

"They say your childhood is supposed to be the most joyful time of your life: carefree days in the summer, kicking a ball in your backyard, having a popsicle from the local ice cream truck, running through the playground at the local park with your friends. No, that joy was never a reality for me. Instead, my childhood was dark, full of pain, and traumatizing." As she spoke, Happy's eyes had grown darker and her voice was several octaves higher, indicative of how hard Happy was trying to hold back the tears Toby could hear in her voice.

"In the foster care system, when something bad happens, you are told it is your fault. A family heirloom breaking in the hallway as you walk by; the soup burning on the stove as you sit there doing your homework, even though you had been told never to touch the stove unless your foster mother was around; when your foster dad tells you you are pretty and tries to come in your room after your foster mother has fallen asleep, to "read you a storybook" or something of the like…" At the mention of this, Happy's voice falters. Toby sees the tears forming in his wife's eyes. All he wants to do is wipe the silent tears away, take Happy into his arms, and never let her go. For years, he had suspected that Happy had been the subject of some sort of abuse, but he could never ascertain to what degree of abuse Happy had been subjected to. From what little she spoke of her childhood, he knew she was a fighter, but the doctor was afraid that those encounters left a deeper scar on her soul than she was willing to admit. However, Toby feared that that she will shut down if he moves a muscle, so he remained still as Happy resumes her monologue.

"You are one of the smartest people in the world, but you can be a real idiot. My mother died in childbirth. Because of complications, because of me existing, I killed one of the two people in the world who were supposed to love me and protect me. My dad, he tried, but in the end, he thought he only had enough strength in him to leave me with the nurses at St. Luke's when I was two. Abandonment, loneliness, and detachment were norms in my childhood…but for my kid, that is never going to happen.

"You thought at one point your gambling was a positive? Well, do you think that running off with your _married ex-_ fiancée is the best idea? Toby, you are one of the smartest people I have ever met, but your actions today were borderline stupid. Even though you said you were only trying to help her, your subconscious saw it as a game – a dangerous game, one that I will not let myself or my kid be subjected to. Remember when I said how a foster kid is told it is their fault that something bad happens? Well, for years, I thought it was my fault my mom died; I thought I was to blame when my dad left me at St. Luke's; I never considered any other circumstance other than one of my own doing when my foster parents did not want me and gave me back to the state to deal with. The fear and rejection I felt then and the dread and panic I experienced when you had been kidnapped – they are nothing compared to the fear, surprise, and uncertainty I had when I realized not only you were with your ex, but you were in the midst of a gambling den…" Happy closes her eyes for a moment to regain her composure. After a few deep breaths, she opens her eyes, staring into what Toby felt was the depths of his soul as she continued.

"I have had the rug pulled out from under me more times than I can count. I love you and would move heaven and earth to come and find you. But, I want you to remember this – if you do anything to recklessly endanger our child, whether it be gambling or something of the like, know that I will walk out that door and never come back. You mean more to me than anyone else in this world, but if I have a helpless child depending on me, I will not be the parent that abandons that child. I will never let my child wonder if their parent is coming home tonight, if they'll have to walk home from school alone, if they must fend off predators and monsters in the night… _Never_ will I let my child, my baby, go through that, and that is what could happen if you fall back into the rush and high of gambling, of a competition with an old nemesis, of watching your ex-fiancée suffer from abandonment and loneliness with a sick sort of pleasure that your subconscious craves. I will never let my child go through that, and if you think that you can continue with any of this behavior that I saw today, you can walk out that door and never come back."

By this point, the rage and passion were evident on the mechanical engineer's face. Happy's cheeks were flushed pink, her nostrils flaring with each heavy inhale and exhale; her hands were at her side, clenched into fists so tight that her nails were cutting into her skin and drawing blood. Happy's normally-chocolate brown eyes were red, black mascara lines smearing her face from the silent tears she cried as she released the pent-up anger, rage, and stress she felt. It stemmed not only from the day's events but from the long, winding path the couple had walked to marriage and now trying to have a baby. Toby had promised to love and cherish her, to be with her in sickness and in health till death do them part. However, for children like Happy whose emotional and physical scars and pain ran deep, actions spoke louder than any word ever could.

With this, Toby did the only thing he needed to do in that moment: he took his wife into his arms, laid a gentle kiss to the top of her head, and held her as tight as he possible could. For a moment, Happy resisted, but she soon stopped fighting. In the moment she stopped fighting his embrace, the dam broke. Happy's shallowed breathing and occasional whimpering turned into gut-wrenching sobs. The mechanic tucked her head into Toby's arms as she released months of pent-up stress, worry, and anguish.

As he held his wife in the dusk of the winter evening, the street lights around the garage casting a soft glow on the couple, Toby made a promise to himself: Happy would never again feel like second-best. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he would be damned if he let her get away.

His heart ached at the mere thought of Happy leaving him. However, the doctor knew from past conversations that she would not stay around if he put something like gambling above the value and importance of their marriage and future children. Toby could beg and plead for her to stay with him, but if walking away from him meant keeping their children safe, she would do it. This fierce love and protection made him fall even more in love with her, and Toby silently promised to himself and Happy that he would do everything in his power to be the parents that their parents were not. Their home would not be pieces of a broken mess, but one filled with love, laughter, and hope for a bright future. _No,_ Toby told himself as he lay another soft kiss on his wife's head, _I will not be that man who is not his family's rock and protector. I will be there for Happy, for our kids, and I will be damned if something like gambling or Amy stands in my way._

* * *

 _"Marriages last because two people make a choice: to keep it, to fight for it, and to work for it."_ ~Anonymous


End file.
